Let's pretend we're sailing down the Rhine River on a pleasure boat. The Rhine is one of the main waterways of Germany, and the river traffic is heavy. It's interesting to watch the many boats going up and down the river. But the river traffic is not nearly so interesting as the beautiful scenery along the banks and hillsides. The boat is passing many old castles. We can see people working in the vineyards (葡萄園) on the hillsides. There are vineyards as far as the eye can see. Wine from the Rhine Valley is famous all over the world.
Suddenly our boat slows down and begins to turn a little. We are coming to a sharp bend in the river. On our right we can see a rocky cliff over 400 feet high. At first it looks quite ordinary, but there is nothing ordinary about it. There are many stories, poems, and songs about the cliff. We are looking at the Lorelei.
The someone on the boat begins to sing in German, the song of the Lorelei. It is a song about a beautiful siren (美女) who has lured many sailors to their deaths.
The siren is supposed to sit on the rock combing her long golden hair and singing. The sailors who hear her forget to steer, and the current of river hurls their boats on the rocks and dashes them to pieces.
Soon other people on the boat begin to sing. The beautiful song adds to special magic to the moment, and you begin to realize why so many people have made this trip down the Rhine to see the rock of the Lorelei.
1.The more interesting thing to those who are sailing down the Rhine River on a pleasure boat is      .
A. to watch many boats going up and down the river
B. to see the beautiful scenery along the banks and hillsides
C. to hear a song about beautiful siren
D. to see a beautiful siren combing her golden hair
2. Which of the following is famous all over the world?
A. The Rhine River.                   B. The River Traffic.
C. Wine from the Rhine Valley.          D. The Lorelei.
3. We can see a rocky cliff over 400 feet high      .
A. on our right when coming to a sharp bend       B. on the Rhine hillsides
C. from the Rhine Valley                 D. on the boat
4. The song of the Lorelei is about      .
A. The Rhine wine                   
B. a rocky cliff
C. the beautiful scenery along the Rhine River 
D. a beautiful and dangerous woman genie

Europeans should try to stay indoors if ash from Iceland's volcano starts settling, the World Health Organization warned Friday as small amounts fell in Iceland, Scotland and Norway.
WHO spokesman Daniel Epstein said the microscopic(微小的) ash is potentially dangerous for people when it starts to reach the Earth because inhaled(吸入) particles can enter the lungs and cause respiratory problems. And he also said Europeans who go outside might want to consider wearing a mask.
Other experts, however, weren't convinced the volcanic ash would have a major effect on peoples' health and said WHO's warnings were "hysterical." They said volcanic ash was much less dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution. Volcanic ash is made of fine particles of fragmented volcanic rock. It is light gray to black and can be as fine as talcum powder. During a volcanic eruption, the ash can be breathed deep into the lungs and cause irritation even in healthy people. But once it falls from a greater distance — like from the cloud currently hovering above Europe — its health effects are often minimal, experts say.
"Not all particles are created equal," said Ken Donaldson, a professor of respiratory toxicology at the University of Edinburgh, "In the great scheme of things, volcanic ash is not all that harmful." And he said most Europeans' exposure to volcanic ash would be negligible and that only those in the near districts of the Icelandic volcano would likely be at risk.
Dr. Stephen Spiro, a professor of respiratory medicine and deputy chair of the British Lung Foundation, said the further the particles travel, the less dangerous they will be. "The cloud has already passed over northern Scotland and we haven't heard of any ill effects there," he said. Spiro said to wear masks or stay indoors to avoid volcanic ash was "over the top" and "a bit hysterical."
1. The text is mainly about         .
A. the effect of volcanic ash  
B. the health risk of volcanic ash
C. the disadvantages of volcanic ash
D. the opinions on health risk of volcanic ash
2. Which one is true according to Paragraph3?
A. The volcanic ash’s effects on Europeans were little.
B. The ash caused irritation even in healthy people.
C. Other experts thought WTO’S warnings were useful.
D. The volcanic ash was more dangerous than cigarette smoke or pollution.
3. The underlined word “hysterical” in Paragraph4 most probably means        .
A. amazing          B. practical        C. valuable            D. overstated
4. What can we learn from the passage?
A. The volcanic ash wouldn’t be harmful to people.
B. All experts thought the volcanic ash did great harm to our health.
C. People close to the volcano would likely be at risk according to some experts.   
D. Europeans should stay indoors because Iceland's volcano starts settling.

第三部分閱讀理解（共20小題；每小題2分，滿分40分）
Burns can be caused by fire, the sun, chemicals, heated objects or fluids, and electricity. They can be minor problems or life-threatening emergencies. Distinguishing a minor burn from a more serious burn involves determining the degree of damage to the tissues of the body. If you are not sure how serious the burn is, seek emergency medical help.
First-degree burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned. The skin is usually red and some swelling (腫大) and pain may occur. Unless the burn involves large portions of the body, it can be treated at home.
Second-degree burns are those in which the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin is also burned. In these burns, the skin reddens intensely and blisters (水泡) develop. Severe pain and swelling also occur. Second-degree burns require medical treatment.
Third-degree burns are the most serious and involve all layers of skin. Fat, nerves, muscles, and even bones may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear a dry white. If nerve damage is substantial, there may be no pain at all. These burns require emergency medical attention.
Follow these steps when treating minor burns at home:
1) If the skin is not broken, run cool water over the burn for several minutes.
2) Cover the burn with a sterile (消過毒的) bandage or clean cloth.
3) Take aspirin to relieve any swelling or pain.
Seek emergency treatment immediately for major burns. Before an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:
1) Remove the person from the source of the burn (fire, electrical current, etc.).
2) If the person is not breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (人工呼吸) immediately.
3) Remove all clothing to stop further burning. If the clothing is stuck to the burn, do not attempt to remove it.
4) Cover the burned area with a cool, moist, sterile bandage or clean cloth. Do not place any creams, ointments (藥膏) or ice on the burned area or break blisters.
5) Monitor the patient for signs of shock, and treat accordingly.
1. The underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably means “______”.
A. They can be dangerous if you don’t treat them seriously
Ｂ. They range from slight burns to deadly ones
C. They seldom cause deaths even if not treated properly
D. They usually cause deaths if not treated properly
2. Burns are divided into different degrees according to _______.
A. what kind of treatment they need
B. what kind of tissue of the body is damaged
C. whether there is pain and what degree of pain there is
D. which layer of skin is burned
3. From the passage we learn that _______.
A. if there is severe pain, then you need medical treatment
B. first-degree burns don’t require medical treatment
C. burns without pains can be treated at home
D. the larger the swelling is, the more serious it is
4. It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. you shouldn’t cover the burn with a bandage or cloth if it is severe
B. you shouldn’t move the person unless you know how to do first aid
C. you shouldn’t run cool water over the burn if the skin is broken
D. you shouldn’t place any wet towels on the burned area
5.where do you probably find the passage?
A.a fashion magazine     B.a guide book
C.a book on first aid      D.a section about culture in the newspaper

Since its invention 100 years ago, plastic , the superstar of the technological age, has become ugly and ungreen . But that’s about to change. An exhibition at London’s Science Museum this week could put it back on the cutting edge of science.
Have you ever hesitated in donating blood? The invention of “plastic blood” might make you feel better.
British scientists are working on the artificial blood as a replacement for real blood in emergency situations. It is made of plastic molecules(分子 ) and can join oxygen and transport it around the body. As a red, honey-like glue , plastic blood can be carried around conveniently . You just add water to make as much blood as you need.
The cells  of our body are strict about what molecules the let in and out . For example , if we inject protein or DNA  directly into the body, our immune ( 免疫 ) SYSTEM WILL DESTROY IT BEFORE IT REACHES THE CELLS.
To get around this , a British scientist has created drug-carrying plastic balls that fool the body into thinking they are natural. Once inside the cell, their contents are spread out through a small controlled explosion.
Skin transplants  are widely done these days. But removing a piece of skin from, say , the bottom to plant it on the face  can hurt and be troublesome.
The British company, Celltran, is working on plastic skin. Using plastic, they plan to take a small piece of the patient’s skin and grow it into an extra lay of skin on top of the plastic. a
The plastic  feels similar to skin, so skin cells like to grow on it. The plastic then gradually disappears, without any reaction or infection .
1. What would be the best title for the text?
A. The superstar of technological age
B. An exhibition at London’s Science Museum
C. No more “white pollution”
D. Plastic takes on a new life
2. Which of the following will be on display at the exhibition at London’s Science Museum?
A. Plastic cells               B. Plastic skin
C. Plastic molecules           D. Plastic transplants
3. The phrase “get around “ in Paragraph 5 means closest to ______.
A. overcome  B. end    C. ensure     D. pass
4.Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. Plastic blood will be injected into the body in drug-carrying plastic balls
B.The plastic skin will remain a part of the new skin
C. Plastic blood will take the place of real blood
D. Plastic blood contains a lot of water

It was late Wednesday night when the dreadful phone call reached our home . I rememeber laying in my bed trying to fall asleep when I heard the phone ring . Interested in who would be calling so late I sat up, so I could hear the phone call better . To my surprise , I heard my mom burst into tears , “ Get the car , dear ! Andrea has been in a car accident .”
We ran every red light on the way to the hospital and our tires screeched(發(fā)出刺耳聲) around every corner . We got to the hospital , but were not allowed to see Andrea . The next morning , after wearing masks , we were allowed to go to the ICU to see Andrea . Well , the least I could say was that everything was injured in her body and she lost all of her memories . It was a fatal car accident .
Over the next two months , I lived more at the hospital than I did at my house . I watched as Andrea worked so hard to gain back everyday motor skills . She never once complained or pitied herself , and her determined spirit was shining through . After two weeks in the ICU and two months of regular hospital treatment , Andrea came home . She missed several months of school , so it was hard for her to catch up . Andrea had many tasks to accomplish , and no matter how hard it was , she stuck to it until the job was done . Though she was busy dealing with the pain and the therapy , she always found time to love and play with me .
I’ll never forget the impact that this incident made on my life . I admire my sister for her strong-willed personality and her determined spirit . Today she is perfectly normal , despite the scars and the pins holding her leg in place . I couldn’t ask for a better sister or a hero in my life .
1. The writer wanted to hear the call better , because_______.
A. he sensed that something terrible had happened
B. he might be curious about who would phone so late
C. he wanted to scold the person who phoned so late
D. he wasn’t sure whether the telephone concerned him
2. From the underlined sentence in the second paragraph , we can learn that________.
A. the family didn’t obey the traffic rules
B. the writer’s father wasn’t good at driving
C. the whole family were anxious to see Andrea
D. their house was very far from the hosptial
3. It was mainly________that made the author’s sister recover from the car accident .
A. the family’s encouragement        B. Andrea’s strong will
C. the treatment                    D. the eagerness to study
4. What would be the best title for the passage ?
A. A Miracle Happening to My Sister   B. My Sister—the Hero in My Life
C. An Accident Changed My Sister     D. An Incident Which Influenced Me Much

三：閱讀理解（共25小題；每小題2分，滿分50分）  
Eye Facts
There are many commonly held beliefs about eyesight that are not proven facts. For example, some people believe that wearing glasses too soon weakens the eyes. But there is no evidence to show that the structure（結(jié)構(gòu)）of eyes is changed by wearing glasses at young age. Wearing the wrong glasses, however, can prove harmful. Studies show that for adults there is no danger, but children can develop loss of sight if they have glasses unsuitable for their eyes.
We have all heard some of the common myths about how eyesight gets bad. Most people believe that reading in weak light causes poor eyesight, but that is untrue. Too little light makes the eyes work harder, so they do get tired and strained. Eyestrain also results from reading a lot, reading in bed, and watching too much television. However, although eyestrain may cause some pain or headaches, it does not damage eyesight in the long term.
Another myth about eyes is that they can be replaced, or transplanted from one person to another. There are close to one million nerve fibers（神經(jīng)纖維）that connect the eyeball to the brain; as of yet, it is impossible to connect them all in a new person. Only certain parts of the eye can be replaced. But if we keep clearing up the myths and learning more about the eyes, someday a full transplant may be possible!
1. This passage is mostly about __________.
A. different types of eye problems        B. myths about eyesight
C. beliefs of eye doctors           D. eye transplants
2. One cause of eyestrain mentioned in the passage is __________.
A. wearing glasses too long      B. suffering from pain or headaches
C. reading in poor light         D. reading before going to bed
3. From the passage we can conclude that __________.
A. doctors are still learning things about eyesight
B. wearing wrong glasses is less harmful to adults
C. eye transplants have been performed successfully
D. people should not wear glasses at young age

It’s not a particular brain region that makes someone smart or not smart. Nor is it the strength and speed of the connections throughout the brain or such features as total brain volume. Instead, new research shows, it’s the connections between very specific areas of the brain that determine intelligence.
“General intelligence actually relies on a specific network inside the brain, and this is the connections between the gray matter, or cell bodies, and the white matter, or connecting fibers between neurons(神經(jīng)元)，”said Jan Glascher, lead author of a paper appearing in this week’s issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The results weren’t entirely unexpected, said Keith Young, vice chairman at Texas A﹠M Health Science Center College of Medicine in Temple, but “it proves that good communication between various parts of brain are very important for this general intelligence.”
“People noticed a long time ago that, in general, people who are good test-takers did well in a lot of different subjects,”explained Young. “If you’re good in mathematics, you’re also usually good in English. Researchers came up with this idea that this represented a kind of overall intelligence.”
Hoping to learn more, some experts located 241 patients who had some sort of their lesions (損害). They then diagrammed the location of their lesions and had them take IQ testes. “We took patients who had parts of their brain damaged, tested them on intelligence to see where they were good and where they were bad, then we connected those scores across all the patients with the location of the brain lesions,”Glascher explained. “That way, you can know the areas that are associated with reduced performance on these tests, which means these areas are really important for general intelligence.”
“These studies suggest results based on the absence of brain tissue (組織),”added Paul Sanberg, famous professor and director of the University of South Florida Center. “It allows them to systemize and find areas important to intellingence.”
1. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. General Intelligence Depend on Brain Volume
B. Scientists Explain Mysteries of Intelligence
C. Science Research Done on Human Brain
D. Brain Lesions Cause Patients Stupid
2.According to Keith Young, we can infer that_____________.
A. the parts of brain are working smooth on their own
B. a person good at maths has obstacles learning languages
C. overall intelligence will make a person successful
D. Jan Glascher’s article really shocks the world
3. Why did experts locate 241 patients with some sort of brain lesions?
A. To diagram the location of their lesions.
B. To take IQ tests to the patients.
C. To know more about the secrets of intelligence.
D. To take better care of the patients.
4.From the diagram, the experts concluded that_____________.
A. the absence of brain tissue will influence intelligence
B. the brain lesions can improve the performance
C. patients with brain lesions will get a high score
D. Some areas totally determine the ability of intelligence

Not long ago , Richard Denniston found himself suffering the same pain that millions of other pet owners have faced . His little Scottish dog had a brain tumor（腫塊）and would soon die. Like others who faced the problem before him , Denniston just wanted to end his pet’s suffering . However , he took one step further.
Deniston , an expert who studies animals , collected a tiny skin sample from the dog and took it to his laboratory at Louisiana State University. There he  cultivated  it and froze it in liquid nitrogen.
From that idea , Denniston started a new technology .Denniston’s company will save pet’s DNA ＄500，plus a monthly storage fee of Us ＄10, until cloning becomes a reality .
Thanks mostly to the contribution of a California multimillionaire , that day may not be so far off.
“It could happen extremely soon if everything went on well.”says Mark Westhusin , a professor leading a dog cloning team . Most experts put successful dog cloning a year to five years down the road . The cost is bound to be expensive at first , but it would eventually drop to a few thousand dollars.
Since Dolly , the sheep which was first cloned in 1997 ,cattle ,goats ,mice and monkeys have been cloned in labs . Pets are likely to be next.
“I really believe that the technology is going to become available for many species in the near future ,”Denniston says .
1. After his pet died ,Richard Denniston_______.
A. did something more than the ordinary pet owners
B. did as other pet owners
C. did nothing but feel very sad
D.could not help feeling lonely without his dear pet
2. Richard Denniston_________in liquid nitrogen for an experiment.
A. was a doctor who put his dog
B. was an animal expert who put a piece of his dog’s skin
C.was an expert at collecting skin samples who then put them
D.took great interest in freezing things
3. The underlined word “cultivated ”in Para . 2 probably means_________.
A. bought     B.discovered    C.caught     D.trained
4. Cloning will cost people_______.
A. a lot of money in five years .
B. much in the beginning and then be reduced to a thousand dollars.
C. much and then will surely be reduced to thousands of dollars.
D.much at first and then might be reduced to a few thousand dollars.

   C
Thousands of people living in the Chinese eapital will celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year by heading for the ski resorts(滑雪場).Never mind that Beijing’s dry weather seldom produces
Now. It is cold enough in winter for snow-making machines to make a covering for the hills north to
The capital. And the rapid growth of a pleasure-seeking middle class has formed the basis for this
New craze(熱潮).
Since Beijing’s first ski resort was opened ten years ago, the sport has enjoyed an astonishing increase.There are now more than a dozen resorts. Clothes markets in the city have added bright colored ski suits to their winter collections. Mr.Wei, a manager of a newly-opened ski resort in Beijing, sees the growth of an industry that could soon lead Chinese to head for the ski resorts of Europe. In recent years ski resorts offering natural snow have opened in China. But many are in faraway areas of the country and can’t really match the equipment and services of some ski resorts
In Europe.
Beijing’s sking craze is partly a result of the recent increase in private(私有的)cars. This has led to the growth of a leisure industry in the capital’s suburbs(郊區(qū)).which until the late-1990s were unreachable to ordinary people. According to Mr. Wei,About 40％ of the visitors to his resort some in their own cars. The rest are bused in by schools, businesses or government offices.
The problem is making money.Starting ski resorturequires quite a lot of money:hiring land from the local government,preparing the hills,buying snow machines,making sure there are enough
water and electricity to run them,and buying ski equipment for hiring out to customers.The ski resort where Mr.Wei works cost nearly $4m to set up.And,as so often in China when someone comes up with a good idea,many others rush in and price wars break out.Beijing now offers some of
the cheapest ski training classes in the world,though with most people rather new to the sport, expecting a few more doing the same job.
50.What does this text mainly talk about?
A．Convenience for skiers brought about by private cars
B．Skiing as a new way of enjoying one’s spare time
C．Things to be considered when starting a ski resort
D．A sudden increase of ski training classes in Beijing
51.Why are some Chinese likely to go skiing in Burope?
A．To visit more ski areas
B．To ski on natrual snow
C．For a large collection of ski suits
D．For better services and equipment
52.The underlined words”leisure industry”in Paragraph 3 refer to        
A．transport to ski resorts
B．production of familycars
C．business of providing spare time enjoyments
D．part-time work for people living in the suburbs
53.What is the main problem in running a ski resort?
A．Difficulty in hiring land
B．Lack of business experience
C．……ski resorts.
D．Shortage of water and electricity

第三節(jié) 回答問題（共3小題；每小題2分，滿分6分）
閱讀下面短文，根據(jù)第58至第60小題的具體要求，盡可能簡要回答問題，并將答案轉(zhuǎn)寫到答題卡上。
If you do not use your arm or your legs for some time, they become weak; when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way. When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong. If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, and few of us know that it is just his own fault. Have you ever found that some people can’t read or write but usually they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and they have to remember things; they cannot write down in a little notebook. They have to remember days, names, songs and stories; so their memory is the whole time being exercised. So if you want to have a good memory, learn from the people: Practice remembering.
58. What is the main reason for one is poor memory? (回答詞數(shù)不超過8個)
59. What will happen if you do not use your arms or legs for some time? (回答詞數(shù)不超過5個)
60. What is the best title for this passage? (回答詞數(shù)不超過6個)